Circuit breaker and controller



Feb. 13, 1923.

J. C. ANDERSON CIRCUIT BREAKER AND CONTROLLER Filed?. 26, 1919 00 f ffv m www? al @/f INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS. l

Patented Feb. 13, 1923.

UNITED STATES A1,445,261 PATENT oFFlcE.

JAMES C. ANDERSON, OF RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO VARLEY DUPLEX MAGNET COMPANY, AVCORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CIRCUIT BREAKER AND CONTROLLER.

Application filed November 26, 1919. I Serial No. 340,827.

T 0 all whomy 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, .JAMES C. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rutherford, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit Breakers and Controllers, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

My invention relates to breaker systems for the ignition circuits of internal combustion engines and in its preferred adaptation it applies to such systems in automobile engines, particularly systems ofV the type shown in my co-pending application, Serial Number 319,092, filed August 22, 1919.

One object of my invention is to reduce to a minimum such wear on the parts as will affect the reliability and accuracy of the automatic adjustments which the device is intended to accomplish. Another object is to enable the device to close the primary ignition circuit without effecting any adjust-ment of the breaker system. Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description.

In the construction shown in my said copending application, Serial Number 319,092, a governor ring is rotated by the engine and, through the medium of a push rod and a bell crank lever, the governor automaticallycontrols the angular position of a turntable or rotatable support for the breaker system relative to the breaker cam, and also operates to open the primary ignition circuit when the engine is notrunning and to close the circuit whemthe engine is being cranked for starting and is running. The push rod rotates with the governor and has its rounded end at all times in contact with the armof the bell crank lever. The wear at this point contact is slow but, duc to the fact that the rotation of the rod is rapid and continuous while Athe engine is In-accordance with this invention, which applies especially to the automatic maintenance of the period of electrical dwell of the breaker contacts substantially constant for low speeds and high speeds, I have eliminated all contact between the rotatable and. non-rotatable parts of the transmission until a critical high speed is attained. I have also providedz such clearance in the actuating train as will enable the bell crank to close the primary circuit without adjusting the turn-table. My invention also includes other features which will appear in the following description and appended claims. f Y

I shall now describe the illustrated embodiment of my invention and shall thereafter point out my invention in claims.

Fig. lis a central vertical section of a device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same with the cover removed;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view' similar to Fig. 3 with the governor ring in its horizontal or outermost position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail in elevation ou line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 vis a diagram to illustrate the effect upon the breaker operation of the adjustment effected by the apparatus.

In the main the illustrated device follows the construction disclosed in my said prior application, except that the automatic adjustment serves merely to affect the relative periods of open and closed contact position for each actuation of the breaker contact of the cam. This lis to be understood by reference to Figure 6, in which O represents the axis of the cam and C the pivotal center of the breaker system, the cam follower being represented in full and dotted lines in its two extremes of adjustment. Since this path of movement between the two extremes is along the line of the leading face of the cam` lobe in the position shown, it follows that the adjustment does not affect the instant of sparking but only the relative length of open and closed positions of the contacts. It will be readily seen that in the dotted position of the follower out of the 60 of each lobe the contact is open substantially 45 and closed substantially 15,

while in the position shown in full lines the contact is open substantially 15 and closed substantially 45o. 1t will be understood that if the follower is in the dotted position at low speeds and is shifted to the position in full lines when a critical speed, for instance thirty miles per hour, is reached, the duration of electrical dwell will always be suiicient to properly energize the primary co1 The shaft 1, which carries the cam 2 on its upper end, is driven from the engine and is also coupled to drive a distributor shaft 3. The housing 4, which is constructed in two separable parts, is provided in its top wall with a central integral upright sleeve portion 5 which affords a bearing for the upper end of the shaft l. Surrounding the sleeve 5 is a plate 6 which bears on the top of the top wall of the housing 4 and has an upwardly extending hub portion 7 bearing upon the external surface of the sleeve 5, the external cylindrical surface of the hub portion being eccentric to the axis of the shaft 1 and having its center substantially in the location of thecenter C in Figure 6. Surrounding the hub portion 7 is a turn table 8 or adjustable support for the breaker system, which has a concentric hub portion 9 bearing around the eccentric external surface of the hub 7. It is manifest, therefore, that if the turn table be rotated about the eccentric hub, the breaker system and cam follower will be eccentrically adjusted about the cam, while if the plate 6 be angularly rotated, the adjustment of the breaker system will be in an arc coaxial with the cam.

To adjust the turn table about the eccentric bearing, automatic speed controlled means are provided. The turn table is resiliently biased in a clock wise direction as viewed in Figure 2, by a thrust spring 1() which acts upon a bifurcated radial extension 11 on the turn table through the medium of a thrust rod 12 which is slidable in a post 13 on the plate 6 and bears by means of a transverse pin in notches in the two members of the lug 11. A lug on a post 14 on the plate 6 serves as a limiting stop for the extension 11.

To adjust the breaker system in a counter clock wise direction against the tension of the spring 11 mechanism is employed which is operated by a centrifugal governor. The specific governor employed for the purpose' ofillustration is a ring 15 which is carried by the shaft l and when at rest occupies the inclined position shown in Figures 1 and 3,

and tends under centrifugal force to assume the horizontal position shown in Fig. 4. The ring 15 is carried by a Sleeve 16 which is secured to the shaft 1 and is provided with two opposite extensions 17 which afford bearings for the pivots 18 of the ring 15.

The sleeve 16 and shaft 1 are slotted to ac,

commodate a link 19 which is pivoted in ears 20 on the sleeve and bears with its free end upon a horizontalpin 21 carried by the governor ring 15 on the side of the shaft opposite the ears 20. Resting upon the top of the link 19 is a lower end of a push rod 22 which is vertically slidable in an axial bore in the'upper end of the shaft 1, and protrudes slightly beyond the end of the shaft. This rod 22 serves to actuate a bell crank lever 23 which is pivoted on a horizontal axis in the post 14 and a companion post 24 on the plate 6. One arm of the bell crank lever overhangs the axis of the shaft 1 while the other arm of the bell crank is positioned to engage the radial extension l1 on the turn table on the side opposite the thrust spring 10 through the agency f a rod 25 which is pivotally pinned at its one end in the bifurcated extension 11 and slides through an opening in a post shown as ai lateral extension on the post 14 with its free end in the path of the actuating arm of the bell crank 23. l I

The push rod 22 is surrounded by a coiled thrust spring 26 bearing withy its lower end against a collar on the rod 22 which ts within the bore in the shaft 1 and guides the lower end of the rod. A plug in the upper end of the bore serves as the upperbearing for the spring and the spring is so propor-A tioned inA length that there is normally a slight clearance between the plug and the upper end of the spring'for a purpose which vm'll presently appear.

The depending arm of the bell crank also serves to open a movable contact 27 in the battery circuit when' the engine is at rest` and to close it when the engine is running. This contact 27 is carried by alat spring 28, the free end of which bears against the rear face of the bell crank arm, the parts being so relatively disposed that when the bell crank arm engages the end of the rod 25 it permits the spring 28 to move to closed contact position, there being a slight clearance between the end of the rod and arm in open contact position', as shownl in Fig. 5. A coiled spring 29 tends to rotate the bell crank to closed contact position, but a collar on the upper end of the push rod 22 rests on the top of a projecting lip on the end of the overhanging arm of the bell crank 23, and the weight of the rod 22 and spring 26 is sufficient to overcome the tension of the spring 29 and hold the contact 27 in open position as shown in the drawings.

There is a slight clearance between the upper end of the push'rod 22 and the under side of the end of the overhanging arm of the bell crank 23, as shown, this clearance being slightly greater than that between the upper end of the spring 26 and the plug ugal force of the ring 15 will be sufficient to overcome the gravity of the rod 22 and the spring 26, with the result that the rod 22 will be lifted until the spring 26 engages the plug in the top end of the shaft 1. The spring 29 will cause the bell crank to follow and close the contact 27, thus closing the ignition circuit and putting the engine in condition to fire. In this position the end of the rod 22 is just out of contact with the overhanging end of the bell cranfk arm,

thereby avoiding wear at this point, and the tension of the spring 26 is such that the spring will resist further centrifugal effort of 'the centrifuge until a predetermined speed is attained. That speed will be one below which the primary of the spark coil will be sufficiently' charged, and may be from twenty-live to thirty miles an hour. The depending a-rm of the bell crank is bearing against the end of the rod 25 and any further movement of the bell crank will be transmitted to the turn table. As soon as the critical speed is reached the spring 26 will yield and allow the centrifuge to raise the push rod 22 and actuate the bell crank and thereby shift the turn table and cam follower against the tension of the spring 10, as above described.

To adjust t-he instant or time of sparking relative to the cycle of the engine, means are provided for rotating the plate 6 and its eccentric hub 7. The plate 6 is shown as provided with an adjusting arm 30 which is vconnected by a link 31 to any suitable place for manual manipulation, such as the steering post. Since the internal bearing surface of the hub 7 is concentric with the shaft l, the adjustment of the plate 6 causes the corresponding .angular adjustment of the cam follower in an arc axial with that of the cam 2, which adjustment affects only the occurrence of the spark.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the construction shown in the drawings and above particularly described within the principle and scope of my invention.`

I claim:

1. For the ignition circuit of internal combustion engines, breaker mechanism comprising a breaker cam, a cam follower' cooperative therewith and mounted for adjustment relative to the cam, a non-rotative lever operative to adjust the cam follower, and an engine driven governor device movable in response to increase of engine speed and positioned to engage and actu'ate the leverl during such movement, there being lost motion between the governor device and lever whereby the governor device is out of physical contact with the lever until it has made a limited initial movement.

2. For the ignition circuit of internal combustion engines, breaker mechanism comprising a breaker cam, a cam follower cooperative therewith and mounted for adjustment relative to the cam, a non-rotative lever operative to adjust thc cam follower, and an engine driven centrifugal governor device for actuating the lever arranged in its innermost position to be out of physical contact with the lever and to engage and actuate the lever after a limited outward movement. and resilient means restraining the outward movement until a predetermined engine speed is attained.

3. For the ignition circuit of internal combustion engines, breaker mechanism comprising` a breaker cam, a cam follower cooperative therewith and mounted forladj ustment relative to the cam, a non-rotative lever operative to adjust the cam follower, an engine driven centrifugal governor device for actuating the lever, ya coupling member between the governor device and the lever and having a lost motion connection with one of the members, whereby the governor device has a limited initial movement before it operatively engages the lever and the coupling member is out of physical contact with the one member until the governor device has completed its limited initial movement, and resilient means restraining said initial movement until a predetermined engine speed is attained.

4. For the ignition circuit of internal combustion engines, breaker mechanism comprising a breaker cam, a cam follower cooperative t-herewith and mounted for adj ustment relative to the cam, a lever operative to adjust the cam follower, a centrifugal governor device for actuating the lever connected to be rotated by the engine, a push rod between the governor devicey and the lever rotatable with the governor device andv proportioned to be out of contact with the lever in the innermost position of the gov- .ernor device, and resilient retractile means acting on the push rod and operative to restrain the governor device until a predetermined engine speed is attained. A

5. For the ignition circuit of internal combustion engines, an engine driven shaft, having an axial bore in its upper end, a breaker cam carried by said shaft at its upper end and having an axial opening therein, a cam follower cooperative therewith and mounted for adjustment relative to the cam, a bell crank lever operative to adjust the cam follower and having an arm overhanging the axis of the shaft, a centrifuge carried by and rotatable with the shaft, a push rod disposed in the axial bore of the shaft and arranged to have operative engagement with the centrifuge and to be elevated thereby and actuate the bell crank and proportioned to he out of contact with the overhanging arm when the cantrifuge is in its innermost position, and a coiled spring surrounding the push rod and operative to restrain its up ward movement until a predetermined engine speed is attained.

6. For the ignition circuit of internal combustion engines, an engine driven shaft having an axial bore in its upper end, a breaker cam carried by said shaft at its upper end and having an axial opening therein,l a bearing member surrounding the shaft and having an external bearing surface eccentric to the axis of the shaft, a breaker system including a cam follower controlled by the cam, an angular-ly adjustable support for the breaker system bearing about the eccentric surface of the bearing member, resilient retractile means tending to rotate the support in one direction, a bell crank lever operative to rotate the support in the other direction and having an arm overhanging theA axis of the shaft, a centri fuge carried by and rotatable with the shaft, a push rod .disposed in the axial bore of the shaft and arranged to have operative engagement with the centrifuge and to be elevated thereby and actuate the bell crank and proportioned to be out of contact with the overhanging arm when the centrifuge is in its innermost position, and a coiled spring surrounding the push rod and operative to yrestrain its upward movement until a predetermined engine speed is attained.

7 F or the ignition circuit of internal combustion engines, the combination of a breaker cam, a cam follower co-operative therewith andmounted for adjustment relative to the cam, a movable contact member, a pivoted lever arranged in control of both the cam follower and the movable contact member and having a bias to closed position of the contact member, a centrifuge rotated by the engine, and connecting means between the centrifuge and the lever operative to hold the lever against its bias in closed circuit position of the contact member when the centrifuge is in its innermost position.

8. For the ignition circuit of internal combustion engines, the combination of a breaker cam, a cam follower co-operative therewith and mounted for adjustment relative to the cam, a movable contact member,

, a pivoted lever arranged in control of both the cam follower and the movable contact member and having a bias to closed position of the contact mem-ber, a centrifuge rotated by the engine, an operating rod coupling t-he centrifuge and lever and biased to hold the lever in closed position of the contact member when the centrifuge is in its innermost position, and resilient restraining means operative to permit free initial outward movement of the centrifuge until the lever reaches closed circuit position of the contact member and thereafter to resiliently oppose the out ward movement of the centrifuge.

9. For the ignition circuit of internal combustion engines including a pair of breaker contacts, a rotative breaker cam, a cam follower controlling the breaker contacts, a. rotative support for the breaker contacts and cam follower, resilient retractile means tending to hold the support in one angular position, a pivoted lever operative to rotate the support against the tension of the retractile means, a movable contact member controlled by the lever, a centrifuge rotated by the engine, and coupling means between the centrifuge and lever and cooperating with the centrifuge to hold the lever in open position of the contact member and out of engagement Awith the rotatable support when the centrifuge is in its innermost position.

l0. For the ignition 'circuit o-f internal combustion engines including a. pair of breaker contacts, a rotative breaker cam, a cam follower controlling the breaker contacts, a rotative support for the breaker contacts and cam follower, resilient retractile means tending to hold the support in one angular position, a movable contact member, a pivoted bell crank lever having one tact before engaging the support," resilient means tending to rotate the bell crank to 4 closed contact position, and .a centrifuge drivenl by the engine and operatively connected to the bell crank and adapted in its innermost position to hold the bell cra-nk in open contact position and as it moves outwardly to first permit the bell crank to move to closedcontact position and thereafter to positively move the bell crank to rotate the support.

11. F or the ignition circuit of internal combustion engines including a pair of breaker contacts, a rotative breaker cam, a cam follower controlling the breaker contacts, a rotative support for the breaker contacts and cam follower, resilient retractile means tending tol hold the support in one angular position, a movable contact member, a pivoted .bell crank lever having one arm in control of the movable contact and adapted to engage and rotate the support aga-inst the tension-of the retractile means when moved in a direction to close the contact, the parts being so relatively positioned that there is a clearance between the arm andpsupport in open contact position of the armsuiiicient to allow the arm to close the contact before engaging the support, resilient means tending to rotate the bell crank to closed contact position, a push rod having a lost motion connection with the other arm of the bell crank and biased to move in one direction and engage the other arm and hold the bell crank in opened contact position and being Aadapted when moved in the other direction to rst release the bell crank and permit it to move to closed Contact position and by continued movement to again engage the other arm and move the bell crank to rotate the support, a coiled spring surrounding the push rod and proportioned to permit free movement of the rod to allow the bell crank to close the said contact and thereafter to resiliently restrain further movement of the rod, and a centrifuge driven by the engine and operativeito move the rod to actuate the bell crank as the centrifuge moves outwardly.

Inwitness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my signature.

JAMES C. ANDERSON. 

